Redesigning Fate (Revive #1) - A. M. Wilson Page 0,9

I have a better eye when it comes to creating her color palette and make her eyes more striking than she could. But she is bolder than I am when it comes to painting my face, and I always look amazing when she is finished.

Carly pins a few curls back out of my face, leaving the rest cascading down my back. She gives me dark, sultry, smoky eyes, and adds color to my dark ensemble with bold red lipstick. She hands me a silver pair of earrings while she clasps the matching silver necklace around my neck. I pounce to check myself out in the mirror when she grabs my arm, halting my progress.

“Wait! You can’t look until I’m done too!”

I sigh. “Damn. Okay, sit down.”

Pouring us another shot each, I set to work. I toss her hair up in hot rollers and turn my attention to her face while her hair sets. I brush on this light, sparkly tan eye shadow to help draw out her eyes. Then, I heavily rim them with black liner before I curl the long, dark lashes.

She takes the tube of mascara so she can apply it herself when I’m finished. I may have once poked her in the eye, and now I’m banned from mascara duty.

Finally, I pick a bold red gloss to tie her lip color to her dress.

Moving on from her makeup, I remove the rollers and brush her hair back into a tight ponytail. The curls hang freely down her back. I twist a few pieces around to hide the pony holder and secure them with bobby pins.

The second I’m done, we both squeal, jump up from our seats, and race to the mirror. I hardly recognize the woman looking back at me. She radiates sexiness and confidence in a way I never have. As my eyes take in the fullness of my appearance, I can’t stop from wandering about that mysterious man. I wonder what he’d think of me now.

Would he like the sexy dress clinging to my body like a second skin?

Would my hair and makeup draw him in, make him hot for me the same way he invaded my consciousness all day?

Would I feel more confident? Empowered?

Would I have it in me to tease him? Maybe even seduce him?

My thoughts make my skin tingle and blood sing. Since there’s absolutely no chance in that happening, I allow a smug smile to briefly slide into place. Then I wipe it away and glance over at Carly as she’s applying a final coat of mascara.

She grins at me. “Are you ready?” she asks.

“Let’s do this.”

***

The cab drops us off in front of Envy, one of the hottest clubs in downtown Minneapolis. The owners converted an old warehouse; the esthetic brick exterior making the club seem inconspicuous. A crisp chill in the early night slides across my skin, and I’m thankful the line is only a few people deep.

Within a few minutes, a brawny, linebacker of a bouncer gives us an appreciative grin of gleaming, perfect white teeth and ushers us inside. My excitement and the warmth from the club heat me from the inside, and I sigh. Tonight is exactly what I needed. Grinning, I turn to Carly, and she gives me secretive thumbs up.

I’m barely inside the door when the pulse of the music sets my body to motion. My eyes scan the layout of the club. The first floor is an open plan. All sleek, gleaming silver décor and tables with a stage set off to the back center of the room. A sea of bodies is dancing and grinding away in front of the DJ on the platform. The bar is almost wall to wall taking up the far left side of the room. The ceiling is exposed with original ductwork and piping left in its place.

It’s packed in here tonight. We make a beeline for the bar, needing a little bit of liquid courage to get the party started.

Carly orders us a round of Lemon Drops and raises hers into the air. She shouts, “To best friends and a new beginning!”

“Here, here!” I reply goofily before downing my shot. We wave the bartender down for another round while I pick up my second shot.

Carly turns to me. “So…”

I know what is coming before she asks.

“Are you man hunting tonight?”

I can’t suppress the urge to glare at her.

She isn’t deterred but quickly amends, “I know, I know. I ask you this every time we go out,